Child
by Jedi Master Misty Sman-Esay
Summary: A companion/sequel to my fic Nightmare. Snapshots of Shmi Skywalker's life from the time she learns that she is pregnant to rejoining of the Force.
1. Surprise

Just having some fun!

Set after Nightmare

Today is my birthday so please leave a review, it makes me happy.

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I have felt strange for months and my dress is tight. Kari says I should visit the medical droid. But I am afraid that it will tell me that I am dying.

Ever since I dreamed of the frightened young man I have been plagued with dreams of a dark future.

The only piece of light I had were visits from a man and woman. The woman would leave me to care for a baby for hours.

Then in one dream they asked me if I would like to have him as my own. Without thinking I said yes.

The dreams have stopped but I was unwell for some time afterwards.

When I was about to break and see the medical droid the illness went away.

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Rumor has it that I am going to be sold to Gardulla the Hutt.

I thought that I had shed all of my tears long ago but it turns out that I had more.

I sit with other slaves waiting to be examined to determine if we are healthy or if something else is wrong with us.

Finally the medical droid comes to me.

I watch as it stops in front of me and draws a sample of my blood. I have never been so afraid.

"Please stand so that I can examine you properly." It says.

I stand and it scans me.

"I must report this at once." It says and leaves us standing there.

Minutes drag by.

Finally two guards appear and escort me to our Master.

I shiver in fear as we get closer.

Finally the guards rap on a door. "Enter," a man's gruff voice says.

The guards open the door and escort me inside.

My Master looks at me for a long moment.

"Sell her and the brat to Gardulla. They will fetch a hefty sum." He says.

I glance quickly around the room for the 'brat' but see only my Master and the guards.

"Take her back for a proper medical examination then put her with the rest of the slaves that I am selling to Gardulla."

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The medical droid examines me and to my surprise asks all sorts of questions. One of them is when was my last moon cycle.

I blush and tell the droid that it stopped about four months ago.

"That would support the scans." it says.

"What scans?" I ask it.

"You are pregnant." It tells me.

I faint.

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	2. Child

Still don't own Star Wars.

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I watch as the midwife droid holds my newborn child, it has yet to tell me whether the child is a boy or a girl.

Finally it hands me the child on a blanket which I gladly take.

"It's a boy." It says flatly.

I am a little surprised since I have been dreaming of a girl with brown eyes and hair.

I take the new child in. I count all of his fingers and toes. He is perfect.

He reaches out and I give him my finger to hold. I laugh from pure joy.

"What is his name?" The midwife droid asks. "Anakin Luke, it means fatherless warrior and Light Bringer." I tell the droid.

I find myself missing Kari. She would have stayed up all night just so she could hold my hand and help me examine my son.

Anakin whimpers.

I know immediately that he is hungry after his long journey into the galaxy. I smile and with some help from the midwife droid I allow him to suck.

The door opens and the Overseer stares at me.

"She delivered a boy. He's father isn't on file." The Midwife droid tells him. The Overseer snorts. "She can keep the baby and she returns to work tonight." He says before leaving.

I glance at the chrono and see that I only have eight hours to recuperate before I need to report back to Maintenance.

I drift off to sleep shortly after burping little Ani.

I have never been so happy in my life!

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	3. Bedtime

This most likely will be the last post unless I can think of something else to add to this fic.

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Ani is two years old and I know that my son is different than other children. He is blessed by the Spirits as Kari would say.

I don't know about being blessed by the Spirits but I do know that he is like me. I know when something terrible is going to happen, if I am paying attention. I know when something is wrong with a piece of machinery and how to fix it. I know when someone is going to be important and Ani falls into that category.

He looks at me with his strange blue eyes, it's as if he knows something.

The same eyes as the woman from three years ago.

"Mama," he babbles happily. I laugh and scoop him up and kiss his cheek. He promptly giggles with glee.

Finally I sit Ani down on our bed and prepare for sleep. Ani watches the whole time with wide, curious eyes.

Finally I prepare Ani for bed. He squirms like he does every night.

Finally I hold him close and tell him the story of the Star Man that loved the Moon Goddess and about the adventures they had together and the number of children they had. It is the same story my father told me when I was little. A story that I will always treasure.

Finally I sing to my son until his eyes close in sleep.

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	4. Padme

One more post!

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I met the the girl from my dreams. Ani brought her, a droid and two other people home. There was a sandstorm and Ani had offered them shelter from the storm He is such a kind hearted boy.

The girl's name is Padmé Naberrie and I just know that they are meant for each other.

But I also feel that they might be each others undoing.

I know in my heart that Anakin needs to go with them but how?

Padmé is troubled. I can feel it coming off her in waves. Is it because she believed that the Republic is all powerful?

My family had never been part of the Republic and I have no love for it.

Either way she has been sheltered and I pity her.

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	5. Leaving

Second to last post!

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Ani is gone.

He left with the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn

I will miss him but I have always known that he was meant to be more than a slave.

I know I my heart I will see him again one day.

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I know, short but to the point.


	6. Death

I thought that this would be the end but I decided to post one more chapter after this one.

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I'm dying. Slowly but surely.

All I want is to see my Ani one last time although I know it to be impossible.

Someone is undoing my bonds. Are they done with me?

Someone is speaking to me but I can't make out the words.

I stare into a human face that for some reason reminds me of the young man from my dream long ago.

I whisper Ani a few times and I know that it is him. I smile and tell him that he is so handsome.

It's time for me to go now. I hope he doesn't blame himself.

I try to tell him that I love him but I slip away from this realm before I can finish.

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	7. Afterlife

Last chapter, I think.

This ties into my fic A step to the left (for a Jedi).

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I open my eyes and discover that I am someplace else. I am not sure where I am but I do know that it is calm and beautiful.

I can feel my son's pain and something building, bringing him close to the breaking point. I fear that he will break down and cry, alerting the Raiders that he is there.

I feel my son finally break under the pressure and he is consumed by his pain, grief and something else.

Someone approaches me. I turn and see a Falleen female standing there. "Your presence is requested." She says. "Follow me."

I follow her through the building to a room. She stands aside allowing me to enter.

I examine the room. A loom of some type sits in the middle of the room with two beings in front of it. I know who they are. The two people that let me care for the baby all those years ago. The same ones that asked me if I wanted him for my own.

They look up at me and the woman smiles. "Welcome, Shmi," she says softly. I stare at her. She hasn't changed since the day I last saw her and her friend.

"As you have probably guessed we are not your average beings." The woman says as she weaves a pattern on the loom.

"What are you?" I ask, curious and a bit afraid. My father told me once that there were very powerful creatures that could destroy or create in the blink of an eye. And I believed that these two fell into the category.

"We have been around since the creation of the universe and maybe before that." The man says thoughtfully.

"We have many names but we are known by the Jedi as the Force." The woman says.

I feel the urge to kneel but I am too shocked to bend my knees.

"Your ancestors called us Ashla and Bogden." The woman says. "I am Ashla and he is Bogden."

There is silence for several heartbeats.

"A little over a thousand years ago two of your ancestors stood in their home; everyone either dead or sold into slavery. In their pain and anger they asked us to allow the people that destroyed their people to destroy their ally who ignored their people's plea for help. They also asked that one of their descendants destroy the attackers."

Ashla looks at me.

"Do you know how many of your relatives I asked wanted to be the mother of the Balancer?" She asks.

I shake my head.

"Thirty, they all said no." Ashla informs me. "You were the only one to say yes."

"Is Ani going to be alright?" I ask.

"It depends on your point of view." Bogden says.

"Come, we will show you what is happening to him." Ashla says standing with Bogden.

I follow and see that my son is consumed with guilt for not only being too late to save me but for his slaughter of the Tusken village.

I pray that he will be alright.

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I might write another chapter, if my Muse gives me some inspiration.


	8. Reunion

Anakin and Shmi reunite in the Afterlife.

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I wait for my son to enter this Realm and then come to stand before the Force.

I don't know what is going to be said but I know that Anakin will be ashamed of what he's done.

"He will be fine," Qui-Gon tells me. "They won't Curse him like they Cursed Anak and Mikayla."

I shiver when he says their names. They, my fore-bearers, in their grief and anger asked the Force to Curse the Jedi, Sith and the Republic for the murders and the captivity of their people. In turn they were made something that roughly translates to 'living dead'. A closer translation would be 'unkillable'. They must see the results of the words they spoke in such rage.

The Force admitted that the Sith were meant to sow pain and misery in the Galaxy but it was the choices of others if the rest was to happen.

I Feel Anakin die and I nearly let out a wail that my Mother made when my Grandmother died.

After a moment I feel that I am wanted.

I turn and head for the place that the Force greeted me years before.

When I enter the Force is standing in a manner that I can't read. They gesture at me and I move behind them.

Anakin enters a few moments later and slowly makes his way to the Force and kneels at their feet.

"Stand my child." The Force says calmly.

Anakin stands and radiates uncertainty.

"You did well, better than many thought you would." The Force says then stands aside so that he could see me.

Anakin freezes the moment he sees me and he takes a few steps back. I see shame burn in his eyes before he averts his gaze.

I walk towards him calmly; I know he will try to bolt if he feels threatened.

"There is very little that you could do that would cause me to hate you Ani." I whisper.

He looks at me and slowly the shame melts and a small smile comes to his face.

"I love you." I tell him.

"And so do I." A female voice that I know well announce calmly.

Anakin jerks as he turns towards the source of the voice: Padme.

He tries shrinks away from her but he is surrounded with no escape. A wall is behind him, the Force's on his left, Padme's on his right and I am in front of him.

Padme gently puts her hands on his face and kisses him; a kiss that he returns.

He breaks down and cries.

My son is back to stay.

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Now I believe that this is the end. :)


End file.
